Electron microscope imaging detected round cellular structures alongside collagen building blocks and breakdown products of oxygen-carrying heme within the specimen. A manganese compound known as hausmannite is believed to have shielded the organic remnants prior to fossilisation. While outside experts find the chemical data persuasive, some question the morphological identification of the blood cells due to the absence of expected nuclear bulges.
Key points
Chemical and structural traces preserved in fossils could provide critical new details ab…: Chemical and structural traces preserved in fossils could provide critical new details about dinosaur metabolism.
The survival of organic compounds over 115 million years challenges long-held scientific…: The survival of organic compounds over 115 million years challenges long-held scientific limits on molecular degradation.
Researchers caution that complex molecules like DNA cannot survive deep time, though othe…: Researchers caution that complex molecules like DNA cannot survive deep time, though other molecular data remains preserved.
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It could be the opening of a Jurassic Park rip-off: scientists examining ancient dinosaur bones find what appear to be fossilised red blood cells, and traces of the molecule that gives the beast’s blood its distinctive crimson hue.
But that is what researchers are claiming to have discovered after analysing the hind leg bones of a small, meat-eating dinosaur called an Aratasaurus that lived and died in what is now north-eastern Brazil 115m years ago.
Electron microscope images of the dinosaur bones revealed small, round structures that resemble red blood cells in fine channels where blood vessels once ran, while chemical tests identified the presence of heme, the organic compound that allows haemoglobin in blood to carry oxygen around the body.
Such claims are controversial because biological tissues and molecules can break down fast, leaving little or no trace in ancient fossils. But if confirmed, it would open up entirely new avenues for scientists, allowing them to investigate dinosaur blood, metabolism and even their activity levels.
“We are seeing a mineral and molecular echo of the dinosaur’s original biology,” said…
Wildlife rescue teams tracking nocturnal primates across Bangka island over a decade have confirmed a viable population remains despite heavy human encroachment. Encounters occurred largely in residential areas and plantations, revealing severe displacement while providing critical biological data. Conservationists now warn that long-term survival hinges on addressing major habitat loss driven by regional agriculture and resource extraction.
Researchers examining the fossilized leg bone of a 115-million-year-old carnivorous predator discovered vascular canals containing cell-like shapes and chemical traces of heme. Found in a gypsum mine in northeastern Brazil, this specimen provides scientists with rare physical and molecular remnants of ancient biological material. The discovery pushes the boundaries of paleontology by demonstrating that certain biological markers can endure across immense geological timescales.
Scientific evaluations evaluating a central mental function face significant consistency challenges across different methodologies. The tools currently deployed across experimental settings yield conflicting outcomes rather than unified data. This lack of alignment complicates efforts to establish dependable baselines for understanding this vital function.